Page 128 of Snowed In
“Internet gets patchy up here,” he says, plucking one from the pile.It’s a Wonderful Life. “This one?”
“Then the Muppets.”
“Then the Muppets,” he promises and loads up the DVD player. I’m already too warm sitting so close to the fire, so I retreat to the couch, the one that looks like it could hold twenty people. It is incredibly comfy, and I tuck my legs up as Christian sits beside me.
“You’re really good at Christmas,” I tell him, and he shrugs.
“Runs in the family.”
We start the film.
I do not pay attention.
It takes every bit of control I have not to fidget, supremely aware of the man beside me, of every breath he takes. But every time I go to make a move, I chicken out, and it’s not until we’re about halfway into the film, when I’mfinallystarting to watch it, that he speaks.
“We should count down,” he says, his gaze on the grandfather clock by the mantlepiece. It’s almost midnight.
“It’s Christmas,” I remind him. “Not New Year’s.”
He ignores me. “Eight.”
“Christian.”
“Seven.”
“Oh my God.”
“Six.”
I can’t fight my smile as he mutes the television, twisting his body to face me.
“Five.”
He kisses me on the nose.
“Four.”
Another on the lips.
“Three.”
I close my eyes.
“Two.”
One.
“Merry Christmas, Megan.”
He brushes his mouth against me once more before pulling back. My eyes flutter open, my breath catching in my throat as I see him looking at me like…well, like I’ve never been looked at before.
“I want to make some more amendments to the contract,” I whisper, and I swear the warmth in his eyes turns molten.
“I have a better idea,” he says. “What about we forget the contract?”
“Our legally binding one?”
“We’ll come up with a new one.” He kisses my jaw before his mouth skims down my throat. “Or maybe we won’t. Maybe we’ll just start again.”
